Easily recover a hacked account

Per Kim Komando:

"Q. Kim, I think my email address has been hacked. A few of my friends are complaining I'm sending them spam emails that I've never even seen. What do I do?

A. If you've been following my Breaking Tech News page, you know that hacks are almost inevitable these days, Georgia. Hackers are working around the clock to hack into every account they can get their hands on.

It's entirely possible that it's not even your fault. With big companies getting hacked all of the time, the hackers could have gotten your information that way. Sometimes it's even someone you know that breaks into your account.

No matter how it happened, you still need to kick the person out of your account. Fortunately, I know how.

But you have to act fast. The longer they're in your account, the more damage they can do. Once you get them out, you have to take a couple of steps to prevent a future hack, too.

Recovering an email account depends on what method the hacker used to break into it.

Since the account is sending out spam, it's likely that the hacker is using an automated system. This uses stolen information to control your email address, but it isn't smart enough to actually change your account settings.

Log in to your account and change the password. The next time the spambot tries to log in, it won't be able to. Problem solved."

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Q. Kim, I think my email address has been hacked. A few of my friends are complaining I'm sending them spam emails that I've never even seen. What do I do?
-Georgia, from Fort Collins, CO, listens to my national radio show on KFKA 1310 AM. 
A. If you've been following my Breaking Tech News page, you know that hacks are almost inevitable these days, Georgia. Hackers are working around the clock to hack into every account they can get their hands on.
It's entirely possible that it's not even your fault. With big companies getting hacked all of the time, the hackers could have gotten your information that way. Sometimes it's even someone you know that breaks into your account.
No matter how it happened, you still need to kick the person out of your account. Fortunately, I know how.
But you have to act fast. The longer they're in your account, the more damage they can do. Once you get them out, you have to take a couple of steps to prevent a future hack, too.
Recovering an email account depends on what method the hacker used to break into it.
Since the account is sending out spam, it's likely that the hacker is using an automated system. This uses stolen information to control your email address, but it isn't smart enough to actually change your account settings.
Log in to your account and change the password. The next time the spambot tries to log in, it won't be able to. Problem solved.
There's a chance a real person is in control of your account, though. In this case, they might have set all sorts of roadblocks to keep you from taking it back.
- See more at: http://www.komando.com/toolbox.aspx?mode=print&id=9607#sthash.T1zdVulo.dpuf

Q. Kim, I think my email address has been hacked. A few of my friends are complaining I'm sending them spam emails that I've never even seen. What do I do?
-Georgia, from Fort Collins, CO, listens to my national radio show on KFKA 1310 AM. 
A. If you've been following my Breaking Tech News page, you know that hacks are almost inevitable these days, Georgia. Hackers are working around the clock to hack into every account they can get their hands on.
It's entirely possible that it's not even your fault. With big companies getting hacked all of the time, the hackers could have gotten your information that way. Sometimes it's even someone you know that breaks into your account.
No matter how it happened, you still need to kick the person out of your account. Fortunately, I know how.
But you have to act fast. The longer they're in your account, the more damage they can do. Once you get them out, you have to take a couple of steps to prevent a future hack, too.
Recovering an email account depends on what method the hacker used to break into it.
Since the account is sending out spam, it's likely that the hacker is using an automated system. This uses stolen information to control your email address, but it isn't smart enough to actually change your account settings.
Log in to your account and change the password. The next time the spambot tries to log in, it won't be able to. Problem solved.
There's a chance a real person is in control of your account, though. In this case, they might have set all sorts of roadblocks to keep you from taking it back.
- See more at: http://www.komando.com/toolbox.aspx?mode=print&id=9607#sthash.T1zdVulo.dpuf

Q. Kim, I think my email address has been hacked. A few of my friends are complaining I'm sending them spam emails that I've never even seen. What do I do?
-Georgia, from Fort Collins, CO, listens to my national radio show on KFKA 1310 AM. 
A. If you've been following my Breaking Tech News page, you know that hacks are almost inevitable these days, Georgia. Hackers are working around the clock to hack into every account they can get their hands on.
It's entirely possible that it's not even your fault. With big companies getting hacked all of the time, the hackers could have gotten your information that way. Sometimes it's even someone you know that breaks into your account.
No matter how it happened, you still need to kick the person out of your account. Fortunately, I know how.
But you have to act fast. The longer they're in your account, the more damage they can do. Once you get them out, you have to take a couple of steps to prevent a future hack, too.
Recovering an email account depends on what method the hacker used to break into it.
Since the account is sending out spam, it's likely that the hacker is using an automated system. This uses stolen information to control your email address, but it isn't smart enough to actually change your account settings.
Log in to your account and change the password. The next time the spambot tries to log in, it won't be able to. Problem solved.
There's a chance a real person is in control of your account, though. In this case, they might have set all sorts of roadblocks to keep you from taking it back.
- See more at: http://www.komando.com/toolbox.aspx?mode=print&id=9607#sthash.T1zdVulo.dpuf

Q. Kim, I think my email address has been hacked. A few of my friends are complaining I'm sending them spam emails that I've never even seen. What do I do?
-Georgia, from Fort Collins, CO, listens to my national radio show on KFKA 1310 AM. 
A. If you've been following my Breaking Tech News page, you know that hacks are almost inevitable these days, Georgia. Hackers are working around the clock to hack into every account they can get their hands on.
It's entirely possible that it's not even your fault. With big companies getting hacked all of the time, the hackers could have gotten your information that way. Sometimes it's even someone you know that breaks into your account.
No matter how it happened, you still need to kick the person out of your account. Fortunately, I know how.
But you have to act fast. The longer they're in your account, the more damage they can do. Once you get them out, you have to take a couple of steps to prevent a future hack, too.
Recovering an email account depends on what method the hacker used to break into it.
Since the account is sending out spam, it's likely that the hacker is using an automated system. This uses stolen information to control your email address, but it isn't smart enough to actually change your account settings.
Log in to your account and change the password. The next time the spambot tries to log in, it won't be able to. Problem solved.
There's a chance a real person is in control of your account, though. In this case, they might have set all sorts of roadblocks to keep you from taking it back.
- See more at: http://www.komando.com/toolbox.aspx?mode=print&id=9607#sthash.T1zdVulo.dpuf

Should you shut down your computer at night?

The age old question! For what it's worth, I do not shut my computer down at night. I schedule an anti-virus scan to run every night at 1 AM. It is very nice to get up in the morning and see that a full scan was run and no problems were found. I may also start some other long-running task before I retire for the night. Things like Malwarebytes or SuperAntiSpyware take time and resources, so I may start one of these before going to bed. I do use the Power options to turn the display off after 20 minutes of inactivity. I do the same for the hard drive. If I know I will be away for two days or more, I shut the machine down simply to save power. I also make sure to do a system restart two or so times a week. This freshens up the system, resulting in a fresh start after the restart. Mostly this gets rid of all the clutter in the RAM that results from all of the work that was done that day.

Q. My son is constantly telling me not to shut down our computer at night. He says it will damage the computer. I still forget and I do it sometimes. Will it hurt anything if I shut down once or twice a week?
-Meredith, from Baltimore, MD, listens to my national radio show on WBAL 1090 AM.
A. You wouldn't believe how often I receive this question, Meredith. It's been going on for decades. Thank you for giving me a chance to finally put an end to this long-standing debate.
Both sides believe their way is better for a computer's life. The shutdown crowd believes steady power consumption will fry a computer over time. The leave-it-on crew believes that repeated shutdowns do physical damage to a computer's parts.
So, which one really is better for your computer?
In reality, it doesn't matter. Neither is going to change how long your computer lasts. There are advantages and disadvantages to both strategies, though. I'll go into those shortly.
In the old days, it really was a bad idea to shut down your machine too often. Older hard drives and computer parts didn't shut down easily and could damage themselves if they were turned on and off too much.
Plus, electronic components used to wear out quickly. That's why tech experts said you should only shut down if you need to, like when updating software. Things have changed since then, though.
Modern hard drives won't experience the same wear and tear or electrical burnout. They'll die eventually, but shutting down doesn't make the process go any faster. That is, as long as you shut down properly.
That means not unplugging the computer randomly or jamming the power button in the middle of working. Shut down from your computer's on-screen menu whenever you can.
When you shut down this way, Windows often installs new updates. These make your computer faster and safer. Regular shutdowns can save energy, too. Just make sure you follow these tips to make sure your computer doesn't drain any power when turned off. 
Turning off your computer also means it won't make any random noises during the night. If your computer is in your - or your son's - bedroom, this is a welcome change.
There are some advantages to leaving your computer on, however. First, it means you don't have to wait for your computer to boot up in the morning. Of course, you can speed up your computer's startup, but it can still be annoying.
If your computer is on all night, it can work all night. While you're sleeping, it can defrag itself and do other routine maintenance. That means it won't hog resources while you're working, but will still stay in tip-top shape.
So, the choice is yours. I like to schedule a few nights where I leave my computer on to run maintenance. The rest of the time, I turn it off to save power.
If you really want the best of both worlds, you can put your computer into Sleep or Hibernate mode. These combine the energy-saving benefits of shutdown with that always-on convenience. I'll tell you more about both and help you decide which is good for you in this tip.
- See more at: http://www.komando.com/toolbox.aspx?mode=print&id=13316#sthash.8gblE0U1.dpuf

Q. My son is constantly telling me not to shut down our computer at night. He says it will damage the computer. I still forget and I do it sometimes. Will it hurt anything if I shut down once or twice a week?
-Meredith, from Baltimore, MD, listens to my national radio show on WBAL 1090 AM.
A. You wouldn't believe how often I receive this question, Meredith. It's been going on for decades. Thank you for giving me a chance to finally put an end to this long-standing debate.
Both sides believe their way is better for a computer's life. The shutdown crowd believes steady power consumption will fry a computer over time. The leave-it-on crew believes that repeated shutdowns do physical damage to a computer's parts.
So, which one really is better for your computer?
In reality, it doesn't matter. Neither is going to change how long your computer lasts. There are advantages and disadvantages to both strategies, though. I'll go into those shortly.
In the old days, it really was a bad idea to shut down your machine too often. Older hard drives and computer parts didn't shut down easily and could damage themselves if they were turned on and off too much.
Plus, electronic components used to wear out quickly. That's why tech experts said you should only shut down if you need to, like when updating software. Things have changed since then, though.
Modern hard drives won't experience the same wear and tear or electrical burnout. They'll die eventually, but shutting down doesn't make the process go any faster. That is, as long as you shut down properly.
That means not unplugging the computer randomly or jamming the power button in the middle of working. Shut down from your computer's on-screen menu whenever you can.
When you shut down this way, Windows often installs new updates. These make your computer faster and safer. Regular shutdowns can save energy, too. Just make sure you follow these tips to make sure your computer doesn't drain any power when turned off. 
Turning off your computer also means it won't make any random noises during the night. If your computer is in your - or your son's - bedroom, this is a welcome change.
There are some advantages to leaving your computer on, however. First, it means you don't have to wait for your computer to boot up in the morning. Of course, you can speed up your computer's startup, but it can still be annoying.
If your computer is on all night, it can work all night. While you're sleeping, it can defrag itself and do other routine maintenance. That means it won't hog resources while you're working, but will still stay in tip-top shape.
So, the choice is yours. I like to schedule a few nights where I leave my computer on to run maintenance. The rest of the time, I turn it off to save power.
If you really want the best of both worlds, you can put your computer into Sleep or Hibernate mode. These combine the energy-saving benefits of shutdown with that always-on convenience. I'll tell you more about both and help you decide which is good for you in this tip.
- See more at: http://www.komando.com/toolbox.aspx?mode=print&id=13316#sthash.8gblE0U1.dpuf

Q. My son is constantly telling me not to shut down our computer at night. He says it will damage the computer. I still forget and I do it sometimes. Will it hurt anything if I shut down once or twice a week?
-Meredith, from Baltimore, MD, listens to my national radio show on WBAL 1090 AM.
A. You wouldn't believe how often I receive this question, Meredith. It's been going on for decades. Thank you for giving me a chance to finally put an end to this long-standing debate.
Both sides believe their way is better for a computer's life. The shutdown crowd believes steady power consumption will fry a computer over time. The leave-it-on crew believes that repeated shutdowns do physical damage to a computer's parts.
So, which one really is better for your computer?
- See more at: http://www.komando.com/toolbox.aspx?mode=print&id=13316#sthash.9CzWZbHb.dpuf

Q. My son is constantly telling me not to shut down our computer at night. He says it will damage the computer. I still forget and I do it sometimes. Will it hurt anything if I shut down once or twice a week?
-Meredith, from Baltimore, MD, listens to my national radio show on WBAL 1090 AM.
A. You wouldn't believe how often I receive this question, Meredith. It's been going on for decades. Thank you for giving me a chance to finally put an end to this long-standing debate.
Both sides believe their way is better for a computer's life. The shutdown crowd believes steady power consumption will fry a computer over time. The leave-it-on crew believes that repeated shutdowns do physical damage to a computer's parts.
So, which one really is better for your computer?
- See more at: http://www.komando.com/toolbox.aspx?mode=print&id=13316#sthash.9CzWZbHb.dpuf

Q. My son is constantly telling me not to shut down our computer at night. He says it will damage the computer. I still forget and I do it sometimes. Will it hurt anything if I shut down once or twice a week?
-Meredith, from Baltimore, MD, listens to my national radio show on WBAL 1090 AM.
A. You wouldn't believe how often I receive this question, Meredith. It's been going on for decades. Thank you for giving me a chance to finally put an end to this long-standing debate.
Both sides believe their way is better for a computer's life. The shutdown crowd believes steady power consumption will fry a computer over time. The leave-it-on crew believes that repeated shutdowns do physical damage to a computer's parts.
So, which one really is better for your computer?
- See more at: http://www.komando.com/toolbox.aspx?mode=print&id=13316#sthash.9CzWZbHb.dpuf

Q. My son is constantly telling me not to shut down our computer at night. He says it will damage the computer. I still forget and I do it sometimes. Will it hurt anything if I shut down once or twice a week?
-Meredith, from Baltimore, MD, listens to my national radio show on WBAL 1090 AM.
A. You wouldn't believe how often I receive this question, Meredith. It's been going on for decades. Thank you for giving me a chance to finally put an end to this long-standing debate.
Both sides believe their way is better for a computer's life. The shutdown crowd believes steady power consumption will fry a computer over time. The leave-it-on crew believes that repeated shutdowns do physical damage to a computer's parts.
So, which one really is better for your computer?
In reality, it doesn't matter. Neither is going to change how long your computer lasts. There are advantages and disadvantages to both strategies, though. I'll go into those shortly.
In the old days, it really was a bad idea to shut down your machine too often. Older hard drives and computer parts didn't shut down easily and could damage themselves if they were turned on and off too much.
Plus, electronic components used to wear out quickly. That's why tech experts said you should only shut down if you need to, like when updating software. Things have changed since then, though.
Modern hard drives won't experience the same wear and tear or electrical burnout. They'll die eventually, but shutting down doesn't make the process go any faster. That is, as long as you shut down properly.
That means not unplugging the computer randomly or jamming the power button in the middle of working. Shut down from your computer's on-screen menu whenever you can.
When you shut down this way, Windows often installs new updates. These make your computer faster and safer. Regular shutdowns can save energy, too. Just make sure you follow these tips to make sure your computer doesn't drain any power when turned off. 
Turning off your computer also means it won't make any random noises during the night. If your computer is in your - or your son's - bedroom, this is a welcome change.
There are some advantages to leaving your computer on, however. First, it means you don't have to wait for your computer to boot up in the morning. Of course, you can speed up your computer's startup, but it can still be annoying.
If your computer is on all night, it can work all night. While you're sleeping, it can defrag itself and do other routine maintenance. That means it won't hog resources while you're working, but will still stay in tip-top shape.
So, the choice is yours. I like to schedule a few nights where I leave my computer on to run maintenance. The rest of the time, I turn it off to save power.
If you really want the best of both worlds, you can put your computer into Sleep or Hibernate mode. These combine the energy-saving benefits of shutdown with that always-on convenience. I'll tell you more about both and help you decide which is good for you in this tip.
- See more at: http://www.komando.com/toolbox.aspx?mode=print&id=13316#sthash.9CzWZbHb.dpuf

Q. My son is constantly telling me not to shut down our computer at night. He says it will damage the computer. I still forget and I do it sometimes. Will it hurt anything if I shut down once or twice a week?
-Meredith, from Baltimore, MD, listens to my national radio show on WBAL 1090 AM.
A. You wouldn't believe how often I receive this question, Meredith. It's been going on for decades. Thank you for giving me a chance to finally put an end to this long-standing debate.
Both sides believe their way is better for a computer's life. The shutdown crowd believes steady power consumption will fry a computer over time. The leave-it-on crew believes that repeated shutdowns do physical damage to a computer's parts.
So, which one really is better for your computer?
In reality, it doesn't matter. Neither is going to change how long your computer lasts. There are advantages and disadvantages to both strategies, though. I'll go into those shortly.
In the old days, it really was a bad idea to shut down your machine too often. Older hard drives and computer parts didn't shut down easily and could damage themselves if they were turned on and off too much.
Plus, electronic components used to wear out quickly. That's why tech experts said you should only shut down if you need to, like when updating software. Things have changed since then, though.
Modern hard drives won't experience the same wear and tear or electrical burnout. They'll die eventually, but shutting down doesn't make the process go any faster. That is, as long as you shut down properly.
That means not unplugging the computer randomly or jamming the power button in the middle of working. Shut down from your computer's on-screen menu whenever you can.
When you shut down this way, Windows often installs new updates. These make your computer faster and safer. Regular shutdowns can save energy, too. Just make sure you follow these tips to make sure your computer doesn't drain any power when turned off. 
Turning off your computer also means it won't make any random noises during the night. If your computer is in your - or your son's - bedroom, this is a welcome change.
There are some advantages to leaving your computer on, however. First, it means you don't have to wait for your computer to boot up in the morning. Of course, you can speed up your computer's startup, but it can still be annoying.
If your computer is on all night, it can work all night. While you're sleeping, it can defrag itself and do other routine maintenance. That means it won't hog resources while you're working, but will still stay in tip-top shape.
So, the choice is yours. I like to schedule a few nights where I leave my computer on to run maintenance. The rest of the time, I turn it off to save power.
If you really want the best of both worlds, you can put your computer into Sleep or Hibernate mode. These combine the energy-saving benefits of shutdown with that always-on convenience. I'll tell you more about both and help you decide which is good for you in this tip.
- See more at: http://www.komando.com/toolbox.aspx?mode=print&id=13316#sthash.9CzWZbHb.dpuf

Q. My son is constantly telling me not to shut down our computer at night. He says it will damage the computer. I still forget and I do it sometimes. Will it hurt anything if I shut down once or twice a week?
-Meredith, from Baltimore, MD, listens to my national radio show on WBAL 1090 AM.
A. You wouldn't believe how often I receive this question, Meredith. It's been going on for decades. Thank you for giving me a chance to finally put an end to this long-standing debate.
Both sides believe their way is better for a computer's life. The shutdown crowd believes steady power consumption will fry a computer over time. The leave-it-on crew believes that repeated shutdowns do physical damage to a computer's parts.
So, which one really is better for your computer?
In reality, it doesn't matter. Neither is going to change how long your computer lasts. There are advantages and disadvantages to both strategies, though. I'll go into those shortly.
In the old days, it really was a bad idea to shut down your machine too often. Older hard drives and computer parts didn't shut down easily and could damage themselves if they were turned on and off too much.
Plus, electronic components used to wear out quickly. That's why tech experts said you should only shut down if you need to, like when updating software. Things have changed since then, though.
Modern hard drives won't experience the same wear and tear or electrical burnout. They'll die eventually, but shutting down doesn't make the process go any faster. That is, as long as you shut down properly.
That means not unplugging the computer randomly or jamming the power button in the middle of working. Shut down from your computer's on-screen menu whenever you can.
When you shut down this way, Windows often installs new updates. These make your computer faster and safer. Regular shutdowns can save energy, too. Just make sure you follow these tips to make sure your computer doesn't drain any power when turned off. 
Turning off your computer also means it won't make any random noises during the night. If your computer is in your - or your son's - bedroom, this is a welcome change.
There are some advantages to leaving your computer on, however. First, it means you don't have to wait for your computer to boot up in the morning. Of course, you can speed up your computer's startup, but it can still be annoying.
If your computer is on all night, it can work all night. While you're sleeping, it can defrag itself and do other routine maintenance. That means it won't hog resources while you're working, but will still stay in tip-top shape.
So, the choice is yours. I like to schedule a few nights where I leave my computer on to run maintenance. The rest of the time, I turn it off to save power.
If you really want the best of both worlds, you can put your computer into Sleep or Hibernate mode. These combine the energy-saving benefits of shutdown with that always-on convenience. I'll tell you more about both and help you decide which is good for you in this tip.
- See more at: http://www.komando.com/toolbox.aspx?mode=print&id=13316#sthash.9CzWZbHb.dpuf

Should you shut down your computer at night?